Exclusive: Southwest PDP Convention Set for Consensus Ratification as Makinde Retains Leadership Grip, Adeleke, Others Secure Improved Positions
The much-anticipated Southwest zonal convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold today in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will be a consensus-driven exercise, authoritative sources within the party have confirmed.
In what appears to be a firm consolidation of political control, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is set to maintain his stronghold over the party’s structure in the region. The convention, rather than featuring stiff contests, will reportedly see stakeholders align behind a harmonized list of candidates in a move aimed at preserving unity and avoiding rancour ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party insiders revealed exclusively to RoundOyo News that the convention will ratify the return of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja as the Southwest PDP Vice Chairman—a development seen as a strategic continuity of Makinde’s leadership formula.
Further strengthening the zone’s strategic political alignment, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State is also expected to benefit from the negotiations leading up to the convention. Credible reports suggest that Adeleke’s camp has secured improved slots within the zonal executive, ensuring better visibility and decision-making power for Osun State within the regional PDP framework.
The consensus arrangement, party sources added, was brokered after days of closed-door meetings involving top party leaders from the six states in the zone, with Makinde playing a central role in unifying divergent interests.
“This is not a time for division. We are putting our house in order to ensure a stronger PDP in the Southwest ahead of future elections. All stakeholders are carried along,” a source at the Oyo Government House told RoundOyo News under anonymity.
Today’s convention, expected to draw large attendance from across the region, will take place at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex in Ibadan.
More updates to follow.
